Tool for assembling and disassembling electrical connectors



NOV. 24. 1953 c BAlLEY TOOL FOR ASSEMBLING AND DISASSEMBLING ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS Filed July 20, 1951 INVENTOR2 J'uL/Au C. BAILEY- ATTORNEYS lam all

fiatented Nov. 24, 1953 UNITED STATES TOOL FOR ASSEMBLING AND DISASSEM- BLING ELECTRICAL CONNECTORS Julian C. Bailey, Lexington, N. C. Application July 20, 1951, Serial No. 237,820

1 Claim. i

This invention relates to a special tool inthe form of a jack-operated press which is particularly designed for assembling and disassembling the mating proximate ends of lugs of the type usually employed for connecting electric cables which extend between the generators and electric motors usually associated with a dieselelectric motor vehicle such as railroad dollies or in diesel-electric power plants. These lugs on the ends a of the electric cables are generally termed in the art as traction motor leads.

Due to malfunction of the usual generators or electric motors associated with diesel-electric railroad dollies or dieseh'electric power plants, it is often necessary that either the electric motor or the generator be replaced. The cables extending from the electric motor to the generator are usually provided with mating lugs or traction motor leads each being provided with one or more projections which coincide with corresponding openings or grooves in the other of the lugs to form a pivotal connection therebetween and wherein it is necessary during assembly thereof toposition the proximate ends of the lugs in angular overlapping relation to each other and then-to press the lugs togetherin such a manner that they extend in axial alinement with each other, the openings or grooves in which the projections on the lugs are disposed being such that a considerable amount of pressure is required to assemble the lugs. This pressure is, of course, also required to disassemble the lugs which is performed in a reverse manner to the assembling thereof.

These lugs are necessarily made from an electrically conductive metal, such as brass or aluminum, and they are usually disposed within a relatively confined area and are, therefore, nearly inaccessible.

heretofore, it has been necessary to assemble and disassemble the lugs by hammering the same with a suitable hammer in the handset an operator which not only caused indentations "in the lugs or otherwise damaged the same," but also often resulted in injury to the hands of the operator, which may strike the encumbering elements defining said defined area while swinging the hammer for assembling or disassembling the lugs.

It is, therefore, the primary object of this invention to provide a light, compact lug assembling and disassembling tool which may beheld in one hand of an operator and inserted into a relatively confined area and which is provided with a pair of laterally spaced anvils which may be positioned against the adjacent lugs and adjacent opposed sides oi the pivotal connection of said lugs. The tool is also provided with a jacktransversely of the plane of the spaced anvils and substantially midway of the spaced anvils and which may, therefore, be positioned adjacent a the opposite side of the lugs from that which is engaged by the anvils and in substantial alinement with the pivotal connection of the lugs whereby the'plunger maybe moved against the lugs to thus force the lugs towards the anvils. In disassembling the lugs, it is evident that the plunger would be moved beyond the transverse plane of the anvils for forcing the proximate ends of the lugs to an open position and, in the instance of the lugs being assembled, the proximate ends of the lugs would extend in diverging relation to the plunger and their outer ends would be in engagement with the anvils and, thus, the plunger would move the proximate ends of the lugs towards the plane of the anvilsuntil the lugs were disposed in axial alinement with each other. r It is another object of this invention toprovide a tool of the type described wherein the plunger is mounted for sliding movement in a base member in which one or more pinions are rotatably mounted, the plunger having rack teeth thereon engaging said pinions and said pinions being provided with means for accommodating a suitable wrench for movement to the plunger. The reason one or more pinions are provided is that these pinions may vary in size and thus provide different mechanical advantages depending upon the amount of force required for assembling or disassembling the lugs.

It is still another object of this invention to spring means to permit the pawl to be moved outwardly or radially of the axis of the plunger so the rack teeth of the plunger are released from the pawl, there being suitable spring means to subsequently urge the plunger in a reverse direction or towards the operator upon the pawl being moved to its original position.

Some of the objects of the invention having manually imparting rotation to one of the pinions to impart I inoperative position; This provldes means for quickly returning the plunger to l been stated, other objects will appear as the description proceeds when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a top plan view of the lug assembling and disassembling tool with parts broken away and showing a pair of cable connecting lugs positioned thereon in solid lines and said lugs also being shown in an alternate position in broken lines;

Figure 2 is an elevation looking up at the lower side of Figure 1 with parts broken away and showing the cable extending from the corresponding lug in cross-section;

Figure 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view through a pair of assembled lugs taken substantially along the line 33 in Figure 2 and showing portions of the corresponding cables connected to the outer ends of the lugs;

Figure 4-. is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view along the line 4-4 in Figure 2;

Figure 5 is an elevation of a typical wrench which may be used for operating the lug assembling and disassembling tool.

The present lug assembling and disassembling tool is particularly provided for assembling and disassembling lugs which serve to connect cables extending from the electric motors and generators usually associated with diesel-electric engines as heretofore described. The lugs are of identical structure and are indicated at 2 and 2a, respectively. The lugs have suitable cavities in the outer ends thereof in which the corresponding ends of electric cables 3 and 3a, respectively, are suitably secured. The proximate ends of the lugs 2 and 2a are provided with closely spaced projections 4 and 5 and 4a. and 5a, respectively, the inner proximate surfaces of the portions of the lugs which define the projections 5 and 5a being substantially longer than the outer surfaces of the projections 4 and 4a and being adapted to be disposed in overlapping relation to each other when the lugs'2 and 2a are assembled.

The lugs 2 and 2a are provided with shoulder portions 6 and 6a, respectively, which are spaced radially from the outer surfaces of the corresponding projections 5 and 5a and these shoulder portions 6 and 6a define notches or grooves i and 1a which are disposed in alinement with the outer ends of the projections Lia and Ea and s and 5, respectively. The walls of the notches la and 1 are spaced closer together than the normal displacement of the closely spaced projections 4 and 5' and 4a and 5a so that, when the lugs 2 and 2a are assembled in a manner to be later described, the projections 4a and 5a enter the notch 'l and the projections 4 and 5 enter the notch 1a and the projections 3 and 5 and 5a and 4a are thereby respectively biased inwardly towards each other thus requiring that these projections be forced into the corresponding notches 1a and 1. This insures that the lugs 2 and 2a will not come apart inadvertently once they have been assembled.

The proximate surfaces of the portions 5 and 5cv of the lugs 2 and 2a are provided with coinciding annular grooves 8 and 8a, respectively, in which respective pins 9 and 9a are secured. It will be observed in Figure 3 that the pin 9 projects into the groove 8a and the pin 9a projects into the groove 8 when the lugs 2 and 3a are disposed in overlapping relation, to thereby provide means pivotally interconnecting the lugs 2 and 2a. These lugs are initially positioned substantially as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1 and I1.

preparatory to being assembled. It will be noted that the pins 9 and 9a are disposed in substantially diametrically opposed relation to each other in the grooves 8 and 8a when the lu s 2 and 2a are disposed at an angle to each other preparatory to being assembled or after they have been disassembled as shown in dotted lines in Figure 1. However, upon the lugs 2 and 2a being positioned in axial alinement with each other as shown in solid lines in Figure 1, the pins are disposed in substantially closer relation to each other. The pins 9 and 9a serve to cause the lugs 2 and 2a to be pivoted about the axis of the annular grooves 8 and 8a when the lugs 2 and 3a are assembled or disassembled.

It will be noted that the leading edges of the projections 4, 5, 6a and 5a are tapered or beveled inwardly as at B-l and B-la, respectively, from a point substantially in line with the axis of the corresponding lugs 2 and 2a and inwardly towards the opposite ends of the corresponding lugs 2 and 2a to permit rotation of the members 2 and 2a about the axis of the annular grooves 8 and 8a until the lugs 2 and 2a have been tightly assembled to the closed position shown in solid lines in Figure 1.

Now, the assembling and disassembling tool, which is particularly adapted for assembling and disassembling the lugs 2 and 241 comprises a frame including a base or housing broadly designated at [0 which is provided with a bottom H, side walls l2 and IS, a pair of laterally spaced front wall sections l4 and I5 and a pair of coinciding laterally spaced rear wall portions 18 The front and rear walls l5 and I! are bridged by a partition 2E1 which defines one wall of a raceway for a plunger or rack 2 i. The walls [3, l5 and H and the partition 2!) define a cavity '22 which is merely provided to relatively decrease the weight of the housing or base 10 although it is to be understood that this cavity 22 need not necessarily be provided. In the latter instance, a thickened portion of the bottom I I may be provided in lieu of the walls l3, l5 and I? and the partition 20.

The bottom of the raceway for the plunger or rack 2| is defined by the upper surface of the bottom ll of the housing [0 and the side wall of the raceway remote from the partition 26 is defined by the inner edges of the front and rear wall portions [4 and 16. The walls l2, l4 and I5 of the housing It! define a cavity 23 within which a pair of pinions or gears 24 and 25 are disposed. The gears 24 and 25 have respective upper and lower outwardly projecting hub portions 28 and 2? and 28 and 29 integral therewith. The gears 26 and 25 are of the same thickness as the depth of the cavity 23 and the lower surfaces slidably and ro tatably engage the upper surface of the bottom wall; ll of thehousing ID.

The hub portions 21 and 29 are rotatably mounted in the bottom ll of the housing IE! and hub portions 26 and 28 of the pinions 24 and 25 are rotatably mounted in respective boss portions 32 and 33 integral with a closure plate or cover 34, preferably of cast construction. The closure plate or cover 34 extends over the cavities 22 and 23 and, also, defines a top wall for the raceway in which the rack or plunger 2| is slidably mounted.

The closure plate 34 is secured against the upper surfaces of the walls l2 to H, inclusive, and the partition 20, by any suitable means such as screws 36, which extend through the corresponding cavities 22 and 23 and threadably penetrate,

the bottom wall ll of the housing It). It will be noted that the pinions 24 and 25 mesh with the teeth of the rack or plunger 2| and of diiferent diameters to provide a variable mechanical advantage in moving the plunger 2|. Each of the hub portions 25 and 28 of the respective pinions 24 and 25 has a po-lygonally-shaped cavity or socket 3'5 therein which is shown as being square in Figure 1.

These polygonally-shaped cavities 31 are provided to slidably receive a correspondinglyshaped projection 46 on a suitable socket wrench 4E. The socket wrench may be of any desired construction. and its structure does not necessarily constitute a part of the present invention other than to provide mean for effecting rotation of the pinions 24 and 25 independently of each other for moving the rack 2| forwardly.

The outer or rear surfaces of the bottom wall i l and the rear Walls l6 and I? have the front end of an elongated tubular handle suitably secured thereto as by welding. If so desired, this tubular handle 45 may be cast integral with the housing Ill. The tubular handle 45 has a longitudinally extending passageway or bore 46 therein which is preferably rectangular in cross-section and the handle per se is preferably circular in cross-section.

It will be noted that the passageway 46 in the 4 tubular handle 45 coincides with the raceway defined by the bottom I I, the inner edges of the walls l4 and 6 and the inner surface of the partition 26. The rack or plunger 2| not only extends through the said raceway but also has longitudinal sliding movement in the passageway 46. The outer end of the handle 45 has a threaded bore 50 therein in'which a reduced threaded portion of a cap member 5| is threadably embedded.

The cap member 5| is penetrated by a shank portion 52 of a hook member or spring anchor 53 which may be headed at its outer end as shown and slidably penetrate the cap member 5| or the spring anchor 53 may be otherwise secured to the inner end of the cap member 5|.

The spring anchor 53 has the outer or rear end of a tension spring 55 connected thereto which is disposed within the passageway or cavity 46, the other end of which is connected to the corresponding end of the plunger or rack 2| by means of a spring anchor 56 suitably secured in the corresponding end of the plunger or rack 2| by any suitable means as by being threaded thereinto.

The end of the plunger or rack 2| remote from the end to which the tension spring 55 is connected has a pressure block 51 suitably secured thereto, as by welding. This pressure block 51 is preferably semi-circular in shap and is provided with a semi-circular groove 66 therein which is cut in the periphery of the outer portion of the pressure block 51 for purposes to be presently described.

It is evident that upon rotating either of the pinions 24 and 25 in a counter-clockwise direc tion in Figure 1, the plunger or rack 2| will move from left to right or outwardly of the right-hand or front walls of the housing I0. Now, in order to prevent the rack or plunger 2| from moving in a reverse direction under tension of the spring.

55 upon the position of the socket wrench 4| being changed, as would be required in operating the tool in a limited area, theteeth of the rack are engaged by a tooth portion 6| aof a pawl 6|.

The tubular handle 45 is provided with a suitable opening or slot 62 which is penetrated by the hook portion 6|a of the pawl 6 The pawl 6| is pivotally mounted, as at 65 between 2, pair of projections or ears 66 welded or otherwise secured to the handle 45 and extending outwardly therefrom adjacent opposed sides of the slot or opening 62. The pawl 6| extends rearwardly and is normally disposed in slightly spaced relation to the handle 45. The rear end of the pawl 6|, that is, the end thereof remote from the tooth portion 6|a, has an outwardly flaring paddle portion 67 integral therewith which is adapted to be engaged by an operator for depressing the paddle 61 towards the handle 45 and to thereby move the tooth portion 6|a of the pawl 6| out of engagement with the teeth in the rack or plunger 2|. The tooth portion 6|a of the pawl 6| is normally biased towards the teeth in the rack 2| by any suitable means such as a leaf spring member 1| which is suitably secured, as by a rivet 12, to the inner surface of the pawl 5| adjacent the paddle 6! and which leaf spring member extends rearwardly and is curved inwardly and engages the corresponding surface of the tubular handle 45.

It is thus seen that, due to the position of the pivot point 65 relative to the leaf spring member 7| and the tooth portion 5 la of the pawl 5|, upon rotating either of the pinions 24 and 25 in a counter-clockwise direction, the teeth of the rack or plunger 2| cause the pawl 6| to move outwardly as each tooth on the rack 2| passes thereby thus permitting the corresponding tooth on the rack 2| to pass by the inner end of the tooth portion 6|a of the pawl 6|. On the other hand, this will prevent reverse movementof the plunger or rack 2| until the paddle 61 is depressed by an operator.

The latter instance will permit the tension spring 55 to reverse the movement of the rack 2| to thereby move the same to withdrawn position. It is to be understood that the portion 46 of the socket wrench 4| is removed from engagement with either of the sockets 37 in the pinions 24 and 25 when the teeth of the rack or plunger 2| are released from the tooth portion 6 Id of the pawl 6| thereby permittingthe gears or pinions 24 and 25 to rotate in a clockwise direction as the spring 55 pulls the plunger 2| inwardly or rearwardly from right to left in Figure 1.

The screws 36, which secure the cover 34 to the housing II), also serve to secure a pair of forwardly diverging arms 15 and 75a to the lower surface of the bottom wall ll of the housing it. These screws 56 slidably penetrate suitable holes provided therefor in the corresponding arms '55 and 15a and the arms are secured against the bottom surface of the bottom I! of the housing It by suitable nuts '15 threadably mounted on the lower ends of the screws 36.

It will be noted that the arms 75 and l5a not only extend in diverging relation to each other beyond the front walls of the housing It, but they are also bent upwardly at a point indicated at H in Figure 2 to thus position respective anvils or pressure receiving members, in the form of rollers 86 and 86a, in substantially the same plane as the longitudinal axis of the plunger 2!. The rollers slidably and rotatably engage the upper surface of the respective arms 15 and 25a adjacent the free ends thereof as is clearly shown accepts 6B. in the pressure block 51 on the outer end of V the plunger or rack 2|. The free or front ends of the arms 15 and 15a are bent upwardly and rearwardly upon themselves as at 82 and 82a respectively, the portions 82 and 82a being disposed above and in sliding engagement with the upper surfaces of the respective rollers 80 and 80a. Suitable axles are provided for the rollers 80 and 80a which axles are shown in the form of bolts 83 and 83a which extend upwardly through the corresponding respective arms. 15 and 15a and then through the corresponding rollers 89 and 80a and thus through the portions 82 and 82a of the arms :5 and a.

Now, assuming the lugs 2 and 2a are assembled as shown in the solid line position in Figure l, the. rollers 8i] and 80a are positioned against the peripheral surfaces of the lugs 2 and 2a adjacent the outer edges thereof with the pivot point of the lugs disposed substantially half -way between the rollers 88 and 80a and with the beveled or angularly cut surfaces B4 and B-la facing towards the pressure block 51.

The operator then inserts the projection 4!] of the socket wrench 4| into one of the sockets 31, depending upon the leverage required, and imparts rotation to the corresponding pinion 24 or 25 in a counter-clockwise direction in Figure 1. This causes the plunger or rack 21 to move from left to right, in the manner heretofore described, whereupon the pressure pad 51 engages the lugs 2 and 2a adjacent the pivot point thereof. The pinion 2 1 or 25 is then rotated further and this causes the pressure block 51 to move the proximate ends of the lugs 2 and 2a forwardly to, and possibly beyond, the dotted line position shown in Figure l.

The proximate ends of the lugs 2 and 2a are caused to pivot about the axis of the annular grooves 8 and 8a since the outer portions of' the lugs 2 and 2a are pressed against the anvils or rollers 88 and 80a. When the lugs 2 and 2a have been swung to substantially the position shown in dotted lines in Figure 1, the paddle portion 6'! of the pawl 6| may be depressed thereby permitting the plunger 2| to suddenly return to its original position, i. e., with the pressure block 5? bearing against the housing Ill. The assembling and disassembling tool may then be removed from engagement with the lugs 2 and 2a and the lugs 2 and 2a are then easily taken apart.

Now, when it is desired to assemble the lugs 2 and 2a, the pressure receiving members or rollers 86 and Sea are positioned in engagement with the opposite surfaces of the lugs 2' and 212 from that shown in Figure 1 and with the lugs extending forwardly from the pressure block 51 in diverging relation to each other rather than in converging relation to each other as they would be in the course of the disassembling operation.

The lug assembling and disassembling tool is then operated in the identical manner heretofore described to pivot the lugs 2 and 2a about the axis of the grooves 8. and Sauntil they assume a position in axial alinement with each other sub-- stantially as shown insolid lines in Figure 1 with the exception that the beveled portions or surfaces B.-i and. B-ia would be facing outwardly or away from the plunger block 51. instead of.

tially straight member mwardly to; substantially the shape of, the letter; U' or, in the. instance of ings', for forcing the lugs inwardly at their juncture to facilitate separating the lugs 2 and 2a from each other. Of course, it will be equally effective in straightening a bowed member or in assembling a pair of lugs such as the lugs 2 and 2a, shown in Figure l to move them from the angular position relative to each other to an axially alined position.

The tool shown in the drawings is particularly designed for assembling and disassembling the lugs as heretofore described. However, the tool may be employed for bending a bar which may be circular or rectangular in cross-section so that opposed ends of the bar may extend in angular or in parallel relation to each other.

For purposes of brevity in the claims the lugs 2 and 2a may be termed the equivalent of a bar or a pair of pivotally interconnected members requiring pressure for moving the members relative to each other about the axis of the pivotal connection thereof.

In the drawings and specification there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and although specific terms are employed they are used in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation, the scope of the invention being defined in the claim.

I. claim:

Atool for assembling. and disassembling a pair of pivotally interconnected lugs having over lapping, portions pivotally mounted with respect to each otherand having notches in their proximate faces into which the corresponding ends of the overlapping portions are secured by a pressed, fit. when the lugs are. in an assembled position in axial alinement with each other; said tool comprising a base, a plunger mounted for longitudinal sliding movement in the base and having a rack thereon, av pair of arms secured to the base and extending forwardly therefrom astride the. front end of. said plunger, a pair of transversely alined: rollers rotatably mounted on said arms and being normally disposed forwardl of and to opposite sides of the front end of the plunger, thev axes of said rollers being parallel, but at substantially right angles to the longitudinal axis of said, plunger, each roller having a concave peripheral surface, at least one pinion rotatably mounted on said base andmeshing with the rack onthe plunger, means on said pinion for receiving. a wrench for manually imparting rotation to the pinion for moving the plunger between the rollers. whereby the pivotally interconnected lugs may be placed against the rollers with. the pivot point thereof in alinement with the longitudinal axis of the: plunger and, upon movement of the plunger into engagement with the. lugs, the lugs may be pivoted about the pivotal connection. thereof, said: plunger and its rack ex tending. rearwardly beyond said base, a tubular handle secured on said base and in which the portion of. the. plunger extending beyond therear of the base. isslidably mounted, a tension spring disposedwithinl the tubular h-andleand connected to the rear. end of the plunger, means in the tubular handle for anchoring the end of the tension spring remote. from the end which is connected-to the rear end of the plunger tothus normally bias the, plunger in a rearward directron, an elongated manually-movable latch pivotallymounted intermediate its ends on. said handle and extending parallel to said handleand having a tooth portion on its front end,.said

handle having anopening therein through which said tooth portion of the latch normally extends to engage the rack on said plunger, a second spring means normally urging the rear portion of the latch outwardly to thereby urge the tooth portion into engagement with the rack on the plunger whereby said rack overrides the tooth portion on the latch as the plunger is moved forwardly, the position of said second spring means being such as to cause the tooth portion of the latch to remain in engagement with the rack 10 upon forward pressure on the plunger being released and whereby a rearward pressure is then exerted on the plunger by the tension spring and, also, whereby, upon releasing the tooth portion of the manually movable latch from engagement 15 10 with the rack, said tension spring will return the plunger to its rearward position.

JULIAN C. BAILEY.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 274,678 Vojacek Mar. 27, 1883 479,491 Cowell July 26, 1892 498,546 Hackett May 30, 1893 1,049,995 Clay Jan. 7, 1913 1,079,442 Rutledge Nov. 25, 1913 2,382,266 Simonson Aug. 14, 1945 

